Fixing washer of a decorative button for furniture

ABSTRACT

A fixing washer, for engaging the shank of a decorative button for upholstered funiture, has a front plate with a substantially flat periphery and a central outwardly convex dome portion formed with a central aperture for the shank. A backplate has a substantially flat seating portion whose periphery is clamped by an inturned peripheral flange on the front plate, and the backplate is formed with a central projection extending axially from tha backplate, this central projection being essentially tubular and being radially enlarged intermediate its ends, and is formed with a dome portion at its outer end also having a central aperture for the shank. A first resilient plate is peripherally clamped between the front and back plates and is formed with a central aperture having a diameter a little less than that of the shank. A second resilient plate has its periphery engaged in the radially enlarged portion of the projection of the backplate, so that it is spaced axially from the first resilient plate, the second resilient plate having a diameter substantially less than that of the backplate and being formed with a central aperture having a diameter a little less than that of the shank of the decorative button.

[ July 10, 1973 FIXING WASHER OF A DECORATIVE BUTTON FOR FURNITURE [76] Inventor: Morio Katayama, c/o Gon'dora Kogyo Co., Ltd., 9-7 l-Iigashinihonbashi l-chome,

Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan [22] Filed: Dec. 29, 1971 t [21] Appl. N0.: 213,650

[52] US. Cl. 24/152, 5/356, 24/155 RB [51] Int. Cl A44b l/l8 [58] Field of Search 24/94, 95, 96, 90,

24/152,150,113,102 T, 155 BB, 155 RB, 150 A, 152, 103, 49 P, 90 B, 90 F, 90 W; 85/36; 5/356 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 593,221 11/1897 Howell et a1 24/152 1,009,124 11/1911 Yinger 24/155 RB 1,235,622 8/1917 White et al. 24/155 RB 1,338,783 5/1920 Lobar 24/155 RB UX 3,449,802 6/1969 Mackey 24/152 X 2,123,764 7/1938 Berry 85/36 1,375,873 4/1921 Waldes 24/90 2,140,064 12/1938 Tinnerman..... 85/36 359,310 3/1887 Axt 24/90 2,149,719 3/1939 Arnest... 85/36 2,144,926 l/l939 Lawt0n.. 24/90 495,270 4/1893 Rozell 24/90 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 567,598' I 3/1924 France 24/90 Primary ExaminerDonald A. Griffin Att0rney.lohn J. McGlew et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A fixing washer, for engaging the shank of a decorative button for upholstered funiture, has a front plate with a substantially flat periphery and a central outwardly convex dome portion formed with a central aperture for the shank. A backplate has a substantially flat seating portion whose periphery is clamped by an inturned peripheral flange on the front plate, and the backplate is formed with a central projection extending axially from tha backplate, this central projection being essentially tubular and being radially enlarged intermediate its ends, and is formed with a dome portion at its outer end also having a central aperture for the shank. A first resilient plate is peripherally clamped between the front and back plates and is formed with a central aperture having a diameter a little less than that of the shank. A second resilient plate has its periphery engaged in the radially enlarged portion of the projection of the backplate, so that it is spaced axially from the first resilient plate, the second resilient plate having a diameter substantially less than that of the backplate and being formed with a central aperture having a di ameter a little less than that of the shank of the decorative button.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures FIXING WASHER OF A DECORATIVE BUTTON FOR FURNITURE FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to improvements of a fixing washer of a decorative button for upholstered furniture.

PRIOR ART It has been well known that, in upholstered furniture, for example a sofa, the surface of which is covered with a covering such as leather, synthetic resin sheet, cloth, etc. enclosing a cushion member, a needle portion of a decorative button is inserted through the covering and the cushion member and secured from the back side of the cushion member by a fixing washer so as to accent the covering surface of the furniture by forming a number of recesses therein by means of decorative button.

Fixing washers of decorative buttons for furniture have conventionally included a cover plate having a substantially flat periphery and a central outwardly convex dome portion formed with a central aperture for the shank, a backplate having a substantially flat seating portion whose periphery is embraced by a circumferential or peripheral flange of the cover plate, the backplate being formed with a central, outwardly projecting dome portion formed with a central aperture for the shank, and a resilient plate whose peripheral edge is clamped between the cover plate and the backplate, and which is formed with a central aperture having a diameter a little less than that of the needle or shank of the decorative button.

The conventional fixing washer of a decorative button for furniture, however, has a number of disadvantages as follows.

The resilient plate is apt to rock within the space formed by the cover plate and the back plate. The needle is firmly fixed with the resilient plate by means of a wedging effect thereof, so that the central portion of the resilient plate is moved upward, thereby the distance between the decorative button and the fixing washer is increased and the decorative recessed portions formed on the covering of furniture disappear.

In order to create again such recessed portion of the covering, the decorative button must be pushed down into the furniture upholstery. When such a pushing down operation is carried out repeatedly, the resiliency of the resilient plate is exhausted, so that the wedging effect diminishes to zero. A rugged portion has been formed on the surface of'the shank of the decorative button so as to sustain such wedging effect.

SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION In accordance with the invention, the abovementioned fixing washer, for a decorative button for upholstered furniture, is improved by providing a second resilient plate spaced axially from the known resilient plate, and formed with a centralaperture having a diameter a little less than that of the shank. This second resilient plate has a diameter much smaller than the usual backplate of the fixing washer, and is mounted in a central protrusion of the backplate. This central protrusion, which extends in a direction opposite to the front plate, is generally tubular and has a dome-shaped outer end formed with a central aperture for the shank of the decorative button. Intermediate its ends, this tubular protrusion is radially enlarged to form a seat for the second resilient plate. When the fixing washer is assembled with the shank of the decorative button, the shank extends through the two resilient plates so that the shank is firmly anchored to the fixing washer by means of the wedging effect of the two resilient plates. As the second resilient plate cannot be rocked even responsive to pressing of the button through the upholstery of the furniture, there is no slackness between the shank of the decorative button and the fixing washer even when the shank does not have a roughened surface.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a fixing washer of a decorative button for upholstered furniture, whose shank or needle is inserted through a through hole of the fixing washer, wherein the shank or needle can be stably fixed at a predetermined position without displacement of the fixing washer and rocking of a resilient plate which is inserted and fitted within the fixing washer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fixing washer for such a decorative button capable of maintaining the button seated in the recess of the furniture upholstery.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a fixing washer which cannot become loosened from the shank of the decorative button clue to rocking motion of a resilient plate having a wedging action on the shank.

For an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference is made to the following description of a typical embodiment thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a chair to which the fixing washer of the decorative button for upholstered furniture is applied,

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section view of the fixing washer of the invention,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-Ill of FIG. 2, and 1 FIG. 4 shows the fixing washer of the invention being used.

DETAILED EXPLANATION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment of the invention will be fully pointed out referring to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings and particularly with reference to FIG. 1, a fixing washer 1 comprises a cover plate 10 including a central outwardly convex dome portion 2 which has a shallow curvature and is formed with a through hole or aperture 3 situated in the center of the plate la. Aperture 3 is formed by punching out the central portion of the cover plate and bending the edge thereof inwardly. Washer includes a back plate lb having a central neck portion 6 projecting outwardly of a seat portion 5 which is embraced with a circumferential edge or flange 4 of the cover plate 1a. Tubular neck portion 4 has a radially expanded portion 7 having a diameter very much smaller than that of the seat portion 5, and has a shallow dome portion at its outer end formed with a through hole or aperture 8 situated in the center of the plate lb. Aperture 8 is formed by punching out the central portion of the cover plate and bending the edge thereof inwardly. A resilient plate 9, hav-- ing an edge clamped between cover portion la 1b, has the seat plate 5 of said back plate and a central through hole or aperture of a diameter a little smaller than that of the needle 13b of the decorative button 13. A reduced-diameter resilient plate 11 is fitted in the expanded portion 7 substantially parallel to the resilient plate 9 and has a through hole or aperture 12 of the same diameter as that of resilient plate 9.

7 In the prefered embodiment of this invention, the resilient plate 9 embraced by the cover plate In and back plate lb is compressed downward as described with reference to the prior art. However, since the expanded portion 7, having a diameter very much smaller than that of the seat portion 5, is provided and the reduceddiameter resilient plate 11 is fitted firmely into the expanded portion 7 substantially parallel to the resilient plate 9, the needle 13b of the decorative button and the fixing washer are firmly fixed to each other at two posi- Y tions by means of the wedging effect of the reduceddiameter resilient plate 11 and the resilient plate 9. The resilient plate 11 is not rockable even by pressure exerted through the cushion member of furniture. Thereby, the decorative button does not become slack, even without the rugged surface on the needle, and the recessed portion of the cushion or upholstery is always sustained neatly.

What I claim is:

1. In a fixing washer, for engaging the smooth surfaced, uniform diameter shank of a decorative button for upholstered furniture, of the type having a front plate with a substantially flat periphery and a central outwardly convex dome portion formed with a central aperture for the shank, a backplate peripherally connected to the front plate and having a substantially flat seating portion and a central outwardly projecting tween the front'and back plates, and formed with a central aperture having a diameter a little less than that of the shank, the central portion of the resilient plate being deflected upon insertion of the smooth surfaced shank through the central aperture therein whereby the periphery of said last-named central aperture frictionally grips the smooth surface of the shank to resist extraction of the shank: the improvement comprising a second resilient plate having its entire periphery supported in the dome portion of said back plate, and spaced axially from said first-mentioned resilient plate in substantially parallel relation to said first-mentioned resilient plate, said second resilient plate being formed with a central aperture having a diameter a little less than that of said shank; said second resilient plate deflecting upon insertion of the smooth surfaced shank therethrough whereby the periphery of its central aperture wedges against the shank to resist extraction of the shank, so that the shank is gripped at two spaced zones defined, respectively, by said two resilient plates.

2. In a fixing washer, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which said second resilient plate has a diameter substantially less than that of said back plate.

dome portion formed with a central aperture for the shank, and a resilient plate peripherally clamped be- 3. In a. fixing washer, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which said projecting dome portion of said back plate comprises'a tubular neck extending centrally from said back plate in a direction opposite to said front plate and having a shallow-domed outer end formed with the central aperture for the shank; said tubular neck having a radially expanded portion intermediate its ends; said second resilient plate having its periphery supported in said radially expanded portion.

4. In a fixing washer, the improvement claimed in claim 3 in which said radially extended portion has a diameter very much smaller than that of said back plate. 

1. In a fixing washer, for engaging the smooth surfaced, uniform diameter shank of a decorative button for upholstered furniture, of the type having a front plate with a substantially flat periphery and a central outwardly convex dome portion formed with a central aperture for the shank, a backplate peripherally connected to the front plate and having a substantially flat seating portion and a central outwardly projecting dome portion formed with a central aperture for the shank, and a resilient plate peripherally clamped between the front and back plates, and formed with a central aperture having a diameter a little less than that of the shank, the central portion of the resilient plate being deflected upon insertion of the smooth surfaced shank through the central aperture therein whereby the periphery of said last-named central aperture frictionally grips the smooth surface of the shank to resist extraction of the shank: the improvement comprising a second resilient plate having its entire periphery supported in the dome portion of said back plate, and spaced axially from said first-mentioned resilient plate in substantially parallel relation to said first-mentioned resilient plate, said second resilient plate being formed with a central aperture having a diameter a little less than that of said shank; said second resilient plate deflecting upon insertion of the smooth surfaced shank therethrough whereby the periphery of its central aperture wedges against the shank to resist extraction of the shank, so that the shank is gripped at two spaced zones defined, respectively, by said two resilient plates.
 2. In a fixing washer, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which said second resilient plate has a diameter substantially less than that of said back plate.
 3. In a fixing washer, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which said projecting dome portion of said back plate comprises a tubular neck extending centrally from said back plate in a direction opposite to said front plate and having a shallow-domed outer end formed with the central aperture for the shank; said tubular neck having a radially expanded portion intermediate iTs ends; said second resilient plate having its periphery supported in said radially expanded portion.
 4. In a fixing washer, the improvement claimed in claim 3, in which said radially extended portion has a diameter very much smaller than that of said back plate. 